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Friday, December 14, 2007

Yes, that’s right. My trip has come to an end. It was awesome while it lasted. I was gone from home just long enough to get a really nice break without missing my family too much, but I’m ready to go home now. Although it will be nice taking a shower that doesn’t alternately scald layers of skin off my body and give me frostbite, I will miss this great city.

Before leaving today, my agent and I did one last “touristy” thing. We took a little walk to the Empire State Building. I can now say that I’ve gone to the top of the Empire State Building. I do not feel the need to do it again. Ever. While waiting for four and a half hours in line (or ON line as New Yorkers say) we listened to folks threaten guests that once they reached the top, there would be no signs telling about the buildings or the view and there would be no people to answer questions or explain what they were seeing. Sooo, in other words, "buy our special map and audio tour for the bargain price of $12.99."

Once on top, there was barely enough space to move. It was five hundred degrees up there as they had the heat blasting out the vents because the sun shining through the windows didn’t make it quite hot enough. The reason there was no room is because the entire observation area was filled with souvenirs for sale. Unfortunately, because of ice, the outside area was closed this morning and visibility was only five miles so we didn’t get a very good view (not that we could see out the window with the throngs of people and sweat dripping down our faces into our eyes.)

It was definitely not like An Affair to Remember!

We went back to the hotel, packed up and awaited our rides to the airports. Yesterday, I figured out that the scary tunnel I went through on the way to the hotel, actually goes UNDER WATER! I rode through WATER! That’s crazy! Really cool, but crazy! I got back to the airport quickly, had a bite to eat, and sat down to write as I had over a two hour wait!

I can’t wait to see how my family fared while I was gone. I only got two calls from my kids while I was in New York. One was from my daughter to say, “Daddy’s being crabby and yelling at us.” Ugh. The other one was to say goodnight. Awww. My son only IMed me fifty times to ask me to get him a snow globe of the Empire State Building. After he "reminded" me to look for a snow globe for the the zillionith time, I informed him, "If you ask me one more time, the only souvenir you'll get is a piece of chewed gum I picked off the subway." Hey, if it's good enough for Buddy the elf...

I called my husband yesterday and he started talking about how he had installed some lights and a new mailbox. He must have talked for ten minutes about this before he asked me about New York. I kept thinking to myself, “Is this how I sound? Do I really go on and on like that about the mundane things I do all day?” The answer hit me as a resounding YES! I guess it’s inevitable. When you’re stuck home all day, dealing with kids, isolated from other adults, you sort of go crazy and given the chance, you talk your head off about any subject to any adult who will listen.

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OK, I'm home now. It was an amazing trip! I'm still giddy about it. There wasn't enough time to do and see everything New York has to offer, but I'm so thankful I was able to experience as much as I did. New York is a very unique, fun city and it was especially wonderful at Christmas time.

My flight home was a bit delayed, but all in all, not bad. I sat next to a gentlemen who said things like, "I wonder if you threw a baseball up in the air on the plane, would it just stay in one spot, or would it fly toward the back of the plane?" I thought to myself, "I'm sitting next to my husband coming up with crazy, hypothetical questions like that!"

Joe and kids did fine while I was gone. I think. So they say anyway. Joe patched some holes in the walls and put up some new lights while I was in New York. The kids may not have worn matching clothes all week, but that's no big deal. I think they got along ok. You know what that means, don't you? It means I can leave again sometime without worrying! ;)

48 comments:

Wow!! I can't believe that I'm the first to post something. Looks and sounds like you had a blast! I would love to visit there someday. I would enjoy that I think. Glad to hear that everything went well, it's amazing how capable our husbands can be when we are gone yet so incapable when we are home!!

The Empire State Building is such a total tourist trap LOL! I can understand why people want to go, but I always try to avoid it if I can! BTW, what did you think the tunnels were for? Do they build tunnels that *don't* go underwater? Just wondering, b/c the only ones I've ever used all go under water:) And I also now feel better about saying "on line." I always say that and it drives my husband crazy! I no longer live up there in the NY area, but I grew up there. I guess I never realized that is why I say that. It never seemed to be wrong either, but my husband apparently thinks it is. According to him, "on line" is using the internet, and "in line" is, well...being in line LOL! I tell him that "in line" is a type of skating--hehe!

The next time you go to NYC, you have to take a Trolley Tour. It's the easiest, fastest, most comprehensive way to get an overview of the city. It will help you get your bearings and you'll see most of the sites. It wasthe first thing I did when I took my kids there and they loved it. I think Jonathan can spring for it! I enjoy your blogs and wish you well with your book.

It's good for husbands and wives to swap roles from time to time. Gives each of them a little perspective on what the other goes through...and helps the husband to appreciate being the one who 'gets' to go back to work on Monday, lol!

Glad you had a nice time in NYC. I am about 20 minutes outside the city and don't get there nearly enough. Ain't that the way it goes. That big RAT is usually displayed by the Unions outside of construction jobs that are using Non-Union workers.

I wondered if that tunnel you mentioned was the water one. I've heard of it, but it frightens me! I have somewhat of a water phobia and I hate those big aquariums where you are in a plexiglass tunnel of water. I'm always afraid they will break. BTW, to Hollie, tunnels are for other things like mountains. I've been through those. :)

It's great to hear you talking about NYC! I live Upstate, and can you believe I've only been to NYC once??!! My husband brought me along to a holiday party (we also had our then-infant daughter - left the other two at home) two years ago, and it was so much fun walking around the city during the holiday season. And the cabs rides? One of the scariest moments of my life! We didn't go to the top of The Empire State Building - too expensive! However, we did have a lunch at a nice Mexican place that cost us over $75 (HOLY COW!). Lunch! Glad you had fun, and you got home just in time. There's a major storm brewing!!

Oh, yes, I agree about the whole Empire State Building thing. My husband thought it was awesome, but me? Eh! It could have been the fact that I was still trying to stave off my nausea from the super fast elevator ride to the top...did I mention I was sick in the 1st trimester and I'm always sick then? Hmmm. Well, I still think its all a scam for tourists.

The Empire State Building is a total tourist trap, I can totally agree. Instead of going there, you should have gone to the "Top of the Rock" at Rockefeller Center. While it's not the Empire State Building, the view is so MUCH better and you can see the Empire State Building from where you're standing. Plus, your view of the city is amazing, such as being able to see Central Park and how it splits the Upper East and Upper West Side of New York. Oh and it's a lot roomier, less crowded and the gift shop is downstairs as opposed to upstairs.

The tunnel you went through on your way to the airport is the Midtown Tunnel. Since Manhattan is an island, it's one of the few ways someone from Manhattan gets into Queens for the airport.

Dawn, thank you for mentioning that "in line, on line" thing. I have always said "on line" (and my husband makes fun of me), but I never realized it was a product of where I grew up. Duh.

St. Patrick's Cathedral, of course - are you too young to remember seeing the giant Sta-Puf Marshmallow Man stepping on it in "Ghostbusters"? And Bill Murray yelling, "Nobody steps on a church in my town!" Cracks me up, just thinking about it.

That's too bad about your crummy Empire State Building experience. Maybe I was lucky. I went on a Wednesday night. It was the same night the Boston Red Sox won the World Series (over the St. Louis Cardinals after coming back from 0-3 to beat the Yankees in the championship game... not that I or anyone here really cares) and everyone was watching the game or depressed that stupid Boston was winning the world series or something... I dunno. Anyway, in addition to the above game, it was also the same night as a lunar eclipse. There was kind of a misty haze going on but the view was still clear. The moon was just starting to darken. I got some very cool long-exposure night shots of the surrounding city from the observation deck. Glad you had fun otherwise, though.

you mean other men out there ask crazy questions like that?? oh thank goodness. I thought I was stuck with the only one. I've gotten some doozies like "i wonder why they named this road X" or "do you ever wonder what it would be like if we had wings and could fly" this was at Thanksgiving with my parents. The answer was a resounding "no, can't say I have ever thought about that" from both of them.

Glad you made it home safe and sound! Looks like you missed the snow! Yes - another storm for the midwest! I love how we hear 1-2 inches and once that first snowfall hits we are all immune to the threat of it! LOL!

I'm impressed that your hubby got some home improvement done while you were gone AND supposedly watched 6 kids! :)

The gentleman who sat next to you on the plane - around my house, we refer to those kinds of questions as "If a monkey bit you.." questions (from an old episode of Wings, in which an extremely annoying customer asks Joe some dumb question about biting monkeys). And yes, my husband comes up with them all the time, too. We once had an argument in Home Depot about what kind of mailbox to buy - we ended up going home without one. At least your Joe can make a decision without a major "consultation" in a public place!

So glad to hear you had a good time in New York (except for the Empire State Bldg!) and got home safely before the next big snowstorm hit. Every mom needs to get away from the house and kids once in a while. You have a good hubby to hold down the fort and help make that possible. All the best to both of you for being a great team! And to the kids for not driving daddy crazy while you were gone. :-)

Love the pictures! Wish I could see NYC during the Christmas season. Maybe next year. I was able to go twice this summer. Love the architecture of a lot of the bldgs. The Top of the Rock (Rockerfeller) was nicer than the Empire.

The cab rides didn't bother me, but it did my girlfriend that went on the first trip. We got matching tees that say "I survived a NYC cab ride" with a cab with a scared rider on it. To me, it was like riding in a cab in South Korea. Took me back to my military days.

I didn't wear very good walking shoes the first time either. My feet were so sore! The second time I went, I wore my trusty tennies.

The next time you go, try to take the Circle Line cruise around the island. Nice ride and great way to see Lady Liberty, Yankee Stadium, and the skyline.

welcome home! I went to NYC for the first and last time for our anniversary in May. I hated it! I thought the people were rude. So, I'm glad to hear of someone who liked it. It gives me hope that if I went back again I might meet different people who are actually nice.

The one of your daughter with whatever medium she had decided to paint herself with while you were gone! Surely she got INTO SOMETHING and painted herself? Yes? Please! You gotta give me something!!! You can't tell me you went away and your husband was in charge and your child did not get into anything blue or green or markers or food coloring or frosting or anything fun like that?

Ok, so I keep thinking about those pennies. I didn't bother to read the articles that were so helpfully provided (shame on me, I know), but ummm... they were raised for charity. What charity has them if they're on display? When does said charity get them? How much did it cost to build that lovely display? How much did it cost to ship the pennies there? This seems like such an inefficient (although very cool) way to raise money... and yes, I have issues with United Way, too, because of the percent of money they raise that actually goes to charity. I'd rather donate directly to a charity that I know has low overhead and high percentage straight to the cause. I'm off my high horse -- but truly intrigued by the pennies thing.

Ok, and for the Christmas decorations in NYC -- how long after actual Christmas day do they keep them up?

No one is going to answer the baseball on the plane question? No? OK. I won't blather on about Sir Isaac Newton and the laws of motion...just suffice it to say that the people on the plane are going the same speed as the plane. So are all the objects on the plane. Since everything is already moving at 200+ MPH, the ball will just go up and come down with very little loss in velocity. Sorry, it won't whip to the back of the plane. :-)

Hi Dawn, Glad your home safe. When I was in New York for the Hair convention we rode the subway into China town. We just had to sit up front with the train driver. We asked him all sorts of questions. One of the interesting things he told us was that the drivers only work a few years, because they see alot of suicides with people jumping in front of the trains. That has to be a terrible job. Kristine in Michigan

Just wanted to say that there is more than one tunnel there that goes underwater LOL. There's no "the tunnel that goes underwater" :) I'd forgotten about mountains, but well...there's not too many of those on the East coast--you have to go inland a bit. Never occured to me to be surprised a tunnel went underwater. Around here, that's just what they do. Water tunnels are just really common:) At least to me:)

We went to NYC in 1997 and got to go to the top of the World Trade Center...it was amazing and roomy I might add. When we got back down from the top we went across the street to see a historical church (which survived). In front of the church was a graveyard...we were strolling by reading some of the markers when my husband pointed out what at first he thought was a dog,...when it disappeared down a hole in front of a marker (icky) we realized it was a rat.Yep, they grow 'em big in the Big Apple.

Oh, it sounds like you had such a good time in New York! I do love that city. I lived in Brooklyn with my boyfriend (now my husband) for a bit over a year. He'd been there for ten years and not only worked in the city but knew it really well. We walked all over the place; across the Brooklyn Bridge, from the Village to the Upper East Side, all the way through Central Park, up Madison Avenue, you name it! It was a wonderful experience and I loved it. We live south of Chicago now and as much as I love Chicago, New York is a special, special city.

I'm looking forward to your book coming out. I hope that a lot of good things continue to come your way Dawn. You have a wonderful talent and I'm glad it'll be shared with a wider audience!

Ahhhh, but Hollie, there *is* only one tunnel that goes from Manhattan to Queens...otherwise you have to take one of the bridges. The other two tunnels take you to Jersey (insert Jersey joke here).

Pam/soccer mom--I thought NYers were rude too, until I moved here. Then I realized that it's not so much that they're rude but that it takes some determination to get to where you're going quickly, as you're constantly fighting crowds. Which is why I always, always avoid Times Square and Herald Square unless I'm forced to go there. It's enough to make anyone cranky!

Dawn, so glad you had a great time here. Yep, the Empire State building is a big 'ol tourist trap, but you gotta do it once. Same thing with the Space Needle in Seattle--all that time and $$$ and the elevator doors open into a gift shop! Come back soon!

Wow, what a fun trip! Espececially getting to see NYC at Christmas, I hear it's beautiful. SO, how was your house and kids when you got home? Did Joe clean up for you and were the kids all still intact? LOL!

Dawn, my husband takes the Lincoln tunnel everyday during his commute to NYC (yes, another underwater tunnel). When the traffic is backed up, you just sit in the tunnel, without moving, for what seems like FOREVER. One day while sitting thus, the man next to my husband (on the bus) turned to him and said, "You know, the next time the terrorists hit, it will be here." What an awful thing to say!!! Truly, though, there a zillions of people sitting in those tunnels at any given moment...I try not to think about it!